Rapunzel Backwards
by tonicupcake
Summary: When Rapunzel's parents find her only days after Gothel kidnapped her, she lives her life like a normal Princess. But when Flynn and his friend Peter come up with a plan to kidnap the Princess to use as ransom, will she end up falling for Flynn, or will she fall for the Prince in Shining armor- Prince Elcott?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
Rapunzel woke up to the beautiful sunrise spreading over the water every morning, and every morning she'd get up around the same time it would start. She'd open the doors that led to the balcony in her room, and grab a chair to watch it. She liked watching over her town as the people would start to wake up, and bustle through the villages. She'd smell the bakery's fresh bread, and the fish at the ports. She'd breath it all in and cherish it all. She'd done this for the past eighteen years. After fifteen minutes, she'd take the chair back inside and close the balcony doors. She'd call in Merida, her maid, who also serves as her best friend. Merida walked into Rapunzel's room, her big wild orange hair flowing all over the place. Merida was born and raised in Scottland, but when she came to Corona when she was eighteen and Rapunzel was fourteen. They'd met in the village the day she got to the Kingdom. "Hello, Punzie." Merida said as she opened the doors to her room. She stood up from her bed and took off her night gown and it fell the floor. She bent over to pick it up and placed it on the bed. Merida helped Rapunzel get into her day dress, a lavender dress with a pink ribbon around the waist, and around the square necklace was lace. "My mother will have a fit when she realizes I am not wearing a corset again." Rapunzel said. Rapunzel often didn't wear a corset, she said they were too tight and she couldn't breathe. Her mother hated the fact that she seldom wore one. She said that it helped with posture, but Rapunzel could care less about posture. She liked to be free, and feel free. When Merida took out shoes from her closet, Rapunzel moaned. "Shoes are like little jail cells for my feet." She declared. But Merida looked at her straight in the eye and said, "You aren't wearing a corset, the least you could do is wear shoes. If you think your Mother will flip out when she sees you're without a corset, imagine what she'd say if she saw you were without shoes?" Rapunzel knew her friend was right, so she slipped into the shoes. She walked down the stairs to see her parents out and about already. "Hello, my beautiful girl!" Her mother exclaimed as she strolled over to her daughter and planted a kiss on her cheek. Her father was engrossed in thought, and couldn't be bothered with. "Rapunzel, we need to talk." Her mother said taking her hand. "About what?" They walked out into the gardens, and fountains switched on. They sat on a bench. "Now, I know you're eighteen…. Your birthday has just past, and I think we should start thinking about possible suitors." Rapunzel held in her breath, for she had known this day would come soon. "I will marry whoever you deem suitable, mother." She stated. Rapunzel didn't like wearing corsets, and she didn't really like shoes either. She very seldom listened to her Mother's advice, or Merida's. She was an independent thinker who liked painting and watching the sunrise and set. But she knew that there was one thing she couldn't fight, and that one thing was Marriage. Rapunzel couldn't one day rule without a husband, that would be absurd. She thought she could do it just fine, but without any heirs to the throne? There would be wars, and uprisings and revolution when she passed without an heir to the throne. A woman hadn't ruled alone in hundreds of years, ever since one of her ancestors. But, she had been impregnated by a servant boy. It was rumored that the Queen and the servant boy had an outrageous love affair, and when the baby was born it was a beautiful bouncing baby boy, who was raised as a Prince, and one day ruled. It was an outrage throughout the kingdom, a Queen raising a child _alone? _But she did it, and now that boy is one of Rapunzel's ancestors, has a painting in the Room of Ancestry, and was also one of the best kings Corona ever had.  
"Really?" Her mother said in surprise. She nodded, and said, "We'll have eligible men come for a party, alright?"  
"Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next day, Rapunzel's parents would have all the eligible bachelors of corona come to the palace. Rapunzel got up that morning, and stuck to her usual routine. She opened the doors of her balcony and watched the sunrise, Merida would come in and help her get dressed, and she'd go and eat breakfast. During the party, Rapunzel didn't see or talk to anybody who she could possibly fancy. None of them fit her criteria. Too tall, too thin, arrogant, a complete moron. Too cynical, doesn't like the fact that she has her own thoughts. Hates art. She slumped back up into her room and sighed. Merida helped her undress, and she laid on her bed looking up at the white ceiling. She sighed. She opened the doors to her balcony, and heard a noise. "Hello…?" She said. She walked further out into the balcony and in the left corner stood a tall boy with short shaggy hair. Tan skin, and big brown eyes. A bit of facial hair on his chin, a blue jacket and brown pants. "Who are you?" She wasn't scared, just curious. "Who are you?" She asked again. He just stared at her with a blank face, and then he smiled and said, "Hi, Flynn Rider." He put his hand out and she stared at him. "Hello…." She didn't shake his hand. "What are you doing? Climbing up the tower of the Palace? I could have you hanged." She said confidently. She knew she wouldn't have him hanged, but why not scare him? He didn't look too scared though. He chuckled, and her eyes narrowed. "What?" He shrugged. "Are you going to tell me what you were doing or do I have to get the King in here?"

"The king?"

"Yes, my father." His eyes widened at the realization that she was the princess. "You're- You're the princess…." He said. She stood up straight and smiled. "Yes." He didn't say anything for a minute. "I-…."

"Was going to steal something?" Rapunzel finished for him. "Well?" She said, getting in his face. She walked back into her room. "Get off my balcony before I call in the royal guards and have you arrested." He nodded and started to climb back down, and that was that.

Flynn put his foot down on the ground and sighed. "Wow," he said scratching his back. He walked back into the village and opened the door of a friends house. "So? Where is she?"

"I couldn't do it, Peter." Peter was Flynn's best friend, a thief like him. "I know the plan was to capture the Princess, and hold her for ransom but…." He stuttered. "I couldn't do it."

"Well, why not?" Peter demanded. He just shrugged and sat down at the table. "I don't know, Pete."

"What happened?"

"I got up to her tower, and she was still up before I could grab a hold of her. I thought she'd be up, and she was persistent and-"

"Flynn!" Peter said shaking Flynn. "I'll get her tomorrow."

"No!" He insisted. "The Queen keeps having these parties at the palace for the Princess. They're so she can meet a husband, they're for every eligible man in the kingdom. I'll drop by at the next one and-"

"Are you off your rocker, Flynn? Didn't she see you?"

"Well, yes, but she didn't have the guards come get me or anything. I don't think she'd have me escorted out." Peter narrowed his eyes at him. "You like her, don't you?" He shook his head. "No. Just want to get the job done." Peter shrugged and agreed to the new plan.

A few days later, there would be yet another party for the Princess. The same eligible men, eating, and dancing around. "Would you care for a dance, Princess?" She heard a man say. She looked up and it was Prince Elcott of Verona. "Of course." She said politely. Even though she was sick of dancing, and tired, and hungry, she had to be polite because she was, after all, the Princess. She took his hand and he smiled. "You look beautiful tonight, Princess."

"Please, call me Rapunzel." His eyes lit up and Rapunzel's heart melted a bit. He had these fantastic big, blue eyes with dark brown eyelashes around them. It almost looked like he was wearing makeup. "Alright," he finally said after a few moments. "Then you can call me Wyatt."  
"Wyatt." Rapunzel said, breathing it in. They moved together perfectly, and he said, "Wow, I haven't you seen this into dancing all night." Rapunzel looked up at the tall boy and laughed. "Oh? So you've been watching me."  
"With all due respect, Princess, everyone's been watching you." He whispered. She laughed some more, and then he dipped her. "Oh!" She gasped as he brought her back up. "Well, Prince Elcott," she said teasingly. "You have some courage, huh? Nobodies dipped me all night." He grinned. "May I cut in?" They both heard a very masculine voice say. But unlike Prince Elcott, Rapunzel had heard it before. Prince Elcott nodded, and immediately backed away. "Prince Elcott," Rapunzel said curtsying. "Don't be afraid to come back for tea!" He had been the only Prince all night to pay any sort of attention to her without mentioning the word, "Marriage." Which was strange, because why would a bunch of men want to get married? Oh, yes, because she was a _Princess, _and marriage to a _Princess, _would gain you a spot in Royal History. Everybody wanted to be Royal. Rapunzel watched him as he walked away, and then turned to the other man who'd asked her to dance. "Mr. Ryder." Rapunzel said narrowing her eyes. "Would you like to go for a walk, Princess?" Rapunzel didn't say anything for a moment, she just stared at him. "Uh, sure?" They walked out of the side door and went for a walk through the gardens. "You have a lovely little garden, here, Princess.""  
"Thanks." She replied. She turned to him. "What do you want?" She demanded.  
"What do you mean?" He said acting like he didn't know what she meant. "You all but broke into my room yesterday and now you're at my Ball?" He bit his lip and pulled out a black sash from his pocket. "My apologies, Princess." She gaped at him, wanting to yell or something but the words refused to come out. He put the sash over her face and lifted her up. "I'm sorry." He said again. He put her over his shoulder and she began to kick his back. "Let me go!" She said, but it came out muffled through the sash.

"Ah," Said Peter when Flynn sat her down on a chair in their shack. "You did it." Rapunzel's sash still hadn't been taken off yet. She tried to move her hands but they were tied tightly behind her back. Finally, they freed her face. "What on _earth _do you think you two are doing!"  
"Capturing the Princess, of course." Peter said. "I believe we haven't met, my dear." He said. He leaned down and said, "Peter." He put his hand out but the Princess spit in his face. He wiped his face and stared at her standing back up. Flynn laughed. "When my father finds out-"  
"Shut up." Peter said. "We're holding you for ransom, _of course _he's going to find out."  
"Ransom?" She asked. "Yes, you know, ransom? Holding somebody hostage for money?"  
"And what happens if my father refuses to give you money?" Peter reached into the back of his pants and pulled out a knife. "See this?" He asked. He pressed it up against the Princess's throat. She held her head up as he spoke. "This knife will get dragged across your throat." He put the knife away. "You would kill your Princess?" She asked teasingly. "Of course I would. Why wouldn't I? You're nothing to me." She looked to Flynn who stared at her with sorry eyes. "What do you need money for?" She asked. She looked from Flynn to Peter, and neither of them answered. "We've decided that we'll let your family fret for a few days-"  
"Don't you realize that the minute they realize I am not anywhere in the castle they'll send our guards looking for me? They'll knock down every tower, look in every little shack in the village." Peter grinned and sat down across from Rapunzel. "Which is why," he said. "We're going to hide you far off in a beautiful little tower."  
"What's with everybody and hiding me in towers?" She said. They both laughed, and said, "You're hair, my dear." Peter said grabbing it. "It's magical, isn't it?"  
"Yes-"  
"Well, what if we tell you, that if you cut it all off and give it to us, we'll let you go?"  
"Not even in your dreams." She said. "Besides, if you cut it off, it turns brown and loses it's power." She looked to Flynn again who sat there staring at her, but looked away fast. "You're lying."  
"Would you like me to demonstrate?" She asked angrily. "Catch." Peter said as he threw a knife at her. It flew right past her. "My hands are tied behind my back, you nitwit!" Flynn laughed and then Peter stood up and untied her hands. He picked up the knife and handed it to her. She held the knife in her hand and grabbed a piece of her hair from the back. She cut it, and as her blonde hair fell to the floor it turned brown. They stared at her and said nothing. "Why would I lie?" She said again. "Well, how do you know it loses its power?"  
"Lucky guess." She teased.  
They put a potato bag over Rapunzel's head and put her in the back of carriage as they rode far into the forest. She heard a door open, and then she felt hands on her and she yelled, but she knew that they were the only people who could hear her. One of them threw her over their shoulder and carried her up the stairs. They ripped the bag off her head and inside the tower was surprisingly beautiful. "Welcome home, darling." Peter teased as he walked away. "We'll bring you food everyday, so you don't starve to death." He said smiling back at her. "Wouldn't want that, would we?"  
"Yes, but you're going to wind up murdering me anyway so what's the difference?" She scoffed. "Not unless your parents pay."  
"Which they won't."  
"Why not?" Flynn said, interrupting. Rapunzel's eyes softened a bit and said, "Because they're smart. They won't badger into your little scheme." Flynn just nodded. "Well, we should get going, right?" Rapunzel turned around on the bed looking around her new home. She turned around and they were gone. She got up immediately and looked out the window. It was at least 70 feet high. Her hair was long, but definitely not that long. She wandered around looking for the staircase she was bought up in. She found a door, but it was locked. She tried to knock it down, but when she ran into it, there was almost a magical barrier keeping her from doing so. She placed her finger near the door, and couldn't get farther than that. It was like there was a barrier, Rapunzel was sure. Completely defeated, she laid back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. The walls were all white. She thought about painting on the walls, but she had no paint.  
She fell asleep thinking about everything, and how most of everything from her life, she'd probably miss the stars the most.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
She woke up the next day and Flynn was already there. He sat at a small little table with two chairs. On the table was a vase of roses and two plates of pancakes. "Morning, Princess." Rapunzel stared at him and looked down at the table full of pancakes. "Well, you sure know how to keep a Princess Hostage." She down at the table across from him and laughed. "You kidnap me, and then bring flowers and make pancakes?" He grinned. "It's my apology. For kidnapping you." She giggled as she started eating pancakes. "You know, I've never had pancakes before." Flynn's eyes shot up. "Are you serious?"  
"Yes, my parents always said they were peasant food. No offence." He laughed, and said, "It's alright. I'm not really a peasant."  
"What do you mean?" She said eating a fork full of pancakes. "They're delicious, by the way."  
"I actually come from a Noble family, but my dad died when I was six, and then my mom fell off a horse and snapped her neck when I was eight."  
"Oh, I'm so sorry…" She said, putting her fork down. He shrugged. "It's alright. It was a long time ago." He grinned again, and he said, "You know, I really am sorry for all this."  
She shrugged. "It's okay. My parents will come find me eventually. They did the first time." She laughed, and then she looked back up to realize he was staring at her. "If it was up to me I'd release you." He said softly. "But if I did, Peter would slit my throat." He said jokingly, but Rapunzel knew deep down he was serious. "I'd better get going now." Flynn said standing up. "I'll be back in a few hours for your lunch, and then Dinner. But um-" Flynn pushed his hair back. "I left you some, uh, paints." Rapunzels eyes lit up and she stood up. "I know you like to paint." She bit her lip and she stared at Flynn for a moment. "Thank you, Flynn."  
"Yea, I know this sucks." He said gesturing around the tower. "But until your parents find you, or pay ransom," he trailed off. "I'll try to make it fun." Rapunzel smiled and walked over to him. "Thank you, Flynn." She put her arms around him but he stayed hard as a rock. "Anything for you." Once she let go he said, "I'm really sorry, but, uh…" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a sash. Rapunzel exhaled and put her hand out. She took it and tied it over her face. In a few minutes, she took the sash off and he was gone.

"Where is she!" The Queen yelled. "We've searched all over the castle, Tom!" She yelled at her husband. "Where on _earth _could she be? Tom, I think it's time to send out guards to go look for her."  
"Maybe she's in the library, honey."  
"IN THE LIBRARY? Since last night! Besides, we've _looked _in the library, she wasn't there."  
"The library is ginormous, honey. It's half the size as the village. She could be lost in there, you know Rapunzel. She's gotten lost in there before."  
"Yes, but not for a whole day. Tom, I don't think she's here." The Queen sat down on a chair and put her head in her hands. "Honey, what if she's been kidnapped again?"  
"Kidnapped?" The King scoffed. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time!" The Queen yelled standing back up. "Don't you remember? We almost lost her forever when she was only three days old, that old wench Gothel kidnapped her." She said. "Thank _god, _we found her. I do not like the way that felt the first time, I do _not _want to lose her again." And just then, Merida came walking in on them. "I apologize greatly, Madam," she said bowing to the Queen. "Sir," she bowed to the King. "But this letter has just arrived." She handed it to the King and as he looked at Merida skeptically as he tore it open. His eyes raced down the paper, and when he was done he didn't say anything for a moment. His face turned red and it looked like steam was going to pour out of his ears. He threw the paper across the room and rushed out of the room. "Tommy!" The Queen yelled. "Ugh." She said, slumping once again into the chair. "Could you get that, Merida?" She nodded and picked up the letter and handed it to her. Her eyes bulged out of her head and it looked as if she were about to cry. "Are you alright?" She pierced her lips and put her hand under her chin. "Yes, dear, I'm alright…" She sat up a bit and opened her arms, signaling for Merida to hug her. Awkwardly, Merida wrapped her arms around the Queen, and she did the same. "It's Rapunzel," she said as she pulled from the embrace. "She's been kidnapped again, and now she's being held for 100,000 coins ransom." Merida didn't say a word.  
"Would you like me to make you some tea?" She put her head in her hands and nodded.

"The letter doesn't even say who it's from… Only to meet them in front of the Fish Ports." The King ran his hands through his hair. "What should we do?" He looked to his wife. "Give them the money, obviously! Tom, what else would we do?"  
"We could have the kingdom searched. Instead of paying the ransom right away, we could try to find her before this date, and then arrest them."  
"Since she was taken the night of the party, she must've been taken by someone there. Maybe we should invite everybody back to the palace for a Question and Answer type thing." The Queen said. "Alright." He agreed.  
They sent out a mass announcement throughout the town, saying that anybody who had been at the palace the night before must report to the palace. It wasn't an option.  
So, the next night every guy who had been there, went. "Now, I don't know if you're aware of this," The King started. "But Corona's very own Princess, has gone missing." He looked at the faces of the young men, and they were blank. "The Palace received this letter," he said holding it up. "Yesterday morning. It says that whoever took the Princess has her being held hostage somewhere, and if I do not pay the ransom…" He stopped for a moment, not wanting to say the last part aloud. "She will be killed." He kept a close eye on all the men he had standing up straight in a line across the wall of the Dining Room. "So, you must be wondering why I have you all here today, yes? Well, my daughter had gone missing the day of the party. Somebody at the ball had kidnapped her." He looked at all the faces of the men. "Now, if one of you has taken my daughter, I want you to confess now. Or we'll have to do this the hard way." Servants had come into the dinning room and stood straight waiting for the King to nod. They all walked over to the men and asked them one by one if they had taken them. Nobody said anything. But, one man stepped up. "Excuse me, your highness." He said standing up straight with his hands at his sides. "Prince Elcott," the King said surprised. "No, don't worry sir, it wasn't me." He said smiling trying to make joke of the situation. "But I'd like to help you look for the Princess. If that's alright with you."  
"Alright." He said turning to the other men. "Would anybody else like to help?" None of the men said anything. "Thank you for your time." The men left, all except for Prince Elcott who would stay to talk to the King.

"Your father is doing everything he can to help find you, Princess." Flynn said as he climbed into the tower. Rapunzel laid on her bed, asleep. She was curled up in a ball, and his heart melted a bit. He walked over to her, reluctant to wake her. "If I don't wake her up, she'll be hungry later on…" He realized how he deeply cared for the Princess, and this shook him. He backed away slightly and bumped into a wall. He slid down and decided he'd wait for the Princess to awake. A few minutes later, she arose, and said, "Flynn?" He looked up, startled. "Oh, hi Princess."  
"How long have you been here?"  
"Two, three minutes?" He lied. She nodded breathlessly. "Alright…" He stood up. "Your father is doing everything he can to look for you. He had all the men who were at the ball go to the Palace for questioning, and-"  
"Did you go?"  
"Yes…"  
"He's sending out search parties for you. Prince Elcott is going to help look for you."  
"So, he's not paying the ransom?"  
"Not if he finds you before the date." She didn't say anything. "Flynn?"  
"Yes?" She didn't reply. "I've got to go." She laid on the bed and decided that maybe she should save herself.


End file.
